What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some of the common questions about Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection. It does not contain all of the available information about Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection. It does not replace talking to your doctor.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you or your child receiving Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection against the benefits he or she expects it will have.
If you have any concerns about having this medicine, ask your doctor.
Keep this leaflet.
You may need to read it again.
What is Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection contains the active ingredient called Gallium Ga 67 and belongs to a group of medicines called radiopharmaceutical agents, which are all radioactive.
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection comes in a 10 mL vial and is available in three different radioactivities. It is ready for intravenous injection as packaged.
What Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is used for
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is used to diagnose, stage and/or manage malignant lymphomas such as Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection may also help in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection can also be used to diagnose specific lung inflammatory lesions.
Your doctor may have prescribed Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection for another purpose. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection has been prescribed for you. If you have any concerns, you should discuss these with your doctor.
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
Before you are given Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection
Before you are given Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection your doctor will explain to you the procedure you are about to undergo, and the radioactive medicine you will be given. You must discuss any concerns you have with your doctor.
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is not recommended for patients less than 3 years of age. If your doctor believes it is necessary to give Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection to a patient under 18, he or she will discuss the benefits and risks with you.
You must tell your doctor if you have allergies to:
- any other medicines
- any other substances such as foods, preservatives or dyes
Tell your doctor if you are or plan to become pregnant.
Like most medicines Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is not recommended for use during pregnancy. If there is a need to consider Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection during your pregnancy, your doctor will discuss the benefits and risks of giving it to you.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
Like most medicines Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is not recommended while you are breastfeeding. However if you are breastfeeding, formula feedings should be substituted for breastfeeding for 24 hours following the administration of Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection. Breast milk produced within that time should be discarded.
Tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions especially if you suffer from heart disease.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription from pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
How Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is given
How much is given
Your doctor will decide how much you will be given. This depends on your condition and other factors, such as weight.
If you are being given Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection for cancer or inflammatory lesion imaging you will be given one injection.
How it is given
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is given as an injection into a vein. Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection should only be given by a doctor or a nurse.
When you are given Gallium (Ga 67 Citrate Injection
Things you must do
There is nothing in particular you must do once given Gallium (Ga-67) Citrate Injection.
Things you must not do
Do not take any other medicines unless advised by your doctor.
Things to be careful of
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection should not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.
Gallium is eliminated from the body in the intestines and kidneys. Because activity in the intestines may interfere with the interpretation of your scan, the physician may ask you to take a laxative or have an enema to help eliminate the Gallium from the intestines.
Side effects
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well after being given Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection.
All medicines have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some side effects.
Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following and they worry you
- warm sensation
- Warmth or redness of skin (Flushing)
- Painful skin redness (Cutaneous erythema)
- Itching (Pruritis)
- Hives (Urticaria)
These side effects are usually mild.
Tell your doctor or a nurse immediately if you notice any of the following:
- chest pain or a feeling of tightness, pressure or heaviness in the chest
- swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing
- changes in your heart rate
- feeling faint
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- rash, itching or hives (itchy swellings on the skin)
- allergic reaction - shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, slow heart rate, dizziness or light-headedness, feeling unusually tired or weak
- fever
These are serious side effects for which you may need urgent medical treatment.
Do not be alarmed by this list of side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Product Description
What it looks like
Gallium (Ga 67) Citrate Injection is a clear sterile solution which is supplied in a glass vial. An injection is prepared from the vial immediately before it is injected.
Ingredients
Active ingredient:
Gallium Ga 67 Citrate
Inactive Ingredients:
Sodium Citrate dihydrate
Sodium Chloride
Benzyl Alcohol
Sponsor
Landauer Radiopharmaceuticals Pty Ltd
Level 3/69 Phillip Street
Parramatta NSW 2150
AUSTRALIA.
Registration Number:
AUST R 20003
AUST R 20043
AUST R 20040
Date of Preparation: November 2015.